Darkness
by triplechocolatte
Summary: Max has lived the last seven years without sight or someone to trust. Now that she is being adopted into Fang's family, will she let him in, or will her past haunt her? My first Fanfic, just a little something I was writing, so let me know if I should continue.
1. Chapter 1

I hate the dark. Not because it's scary or anything, but because inky blackness is all I've seen for the past eight years. I'm tired of having to figure out what things are by touch, smell, and hearing. But they say that there is no cure for the blind.

"Max, a family is here to adopt you. The couple seems nice and they have two sons who are both 15, like you, Fang and Iggy. Iggy is adopted, so you might be able to open up to him. Come on out to meet them when you're ready," Anne, my social worker said from behind me. I nodded without turning around. I heard Anne sigh quietly and a few seconds later the door close. Anne was having her doubts about if I could speak since my last foster home. But I have my reasons for my silence. The car accident that took away my sight also took away the only ones I ever loved, my parents and my brother - who would now be eleven.

I shook myself from my daydreams about the good old days, stood up, and grabbed my messenger bag from where it lay on my lap. Expertly opening the door and making my way towards the lobby of the care center, I wondered what my new family would be like. I heard them before I, well, saw them. They sounded happy, with two male voices, one of which was much older - probably the father - laughing with a old female voice joining In a little later. The other brother must be one of those silent ones, but I wondered which brother was adopted.

"Ah! You must be Maximum Ride!" The father exclaimed.

"Yes, Max, this is the walker family. This is Jeb, Valencia, Fang, and Iggy. They will be adopting you. If you will please fill out these forms so we can make this official," Anne directed the last part towards the father and mother. After a few seconds do rustling Anne pulled me over to the side. "The father is Jeb, the mother Valencia, the boy with a higher voice and the one who speaks more is Iggy, even though you might not guess that. Fang speaks rarely, from what I have gathered and has a lower voice. Got that? Okay. Iggy has strawberry blonde hair and pale blue eyes and Fang has black hair with obsidian colored eyes. And you look presentable. Just smile a little more please? Let anyone here know if something is wrong. You will have psychiatry sessions with me later on, but stay safe, everything will work out."

"Thank you," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper as we made our way back over to my new family.

"I will see you in a few weeks for the meeting to make sure everything is going well! Bye Max!" Anne said with fake enthusiasm.

I silently followed the sounds of my new guardians' footsteps until we stopped at where I assumed was the car. I heard them open up the electric car doors and climb in while I stood there shuffling my feet.

"Aren't you going to get in?" A previously unknown voice asked, so that's Fang.

"Where do I sit?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Both of the middle seats are open, but can't you see that?" Iggy asked as I swiftly climbed in, closed the door behind me and grasped around, looking for the seat belt buckle. I found it and buckled up.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said in a voice that didn't even qualify as a whisper.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everybody. I finally figured out how to post another chapter, so here you go!**

Fang POV

The Max girl was wired. She acted as if she couldn't see anything and she didn't speak much. Maybe I'm just used to Iggy, who didn't take much time to warm up to us. Oh, one other thing, she was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, although she looked fairly skinny, in the middle of summer.

When we got to our house, mom and dad left Max alone so that she could 'get used to the house' with directions to where her room was. They called Iggy and I into their room to clear a few things up.

"Iggy, Fang. Max has had a hard life and will probably not want to open up to anyone. Even if she doesn't, it is our job to be there for her, especially you, Iggy," Mom began, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What about the incident with getting in the car, what was that about?" Iggy asked as blunt as ever.

My parents exchanged a look, "Max is blind, that's why we are letting her get used to the house so she can memorize where everything is and get a feel for the layout. Just try not to move any furniture around unexpectedly. Okay?"

"Yeah," My adopted brother and I said in unison and we walked downstairs. Max was waiting for us with her blonde-streaked chocolate brown hair shimmering in the afternoon light and her rich brown eyes, although unseeing, swirled with emotions.

"Max, you will be starting at the high school near here, as Anne has informed us. She also said something about a class with her on Tuesdays, I think you will be starting that next week. Do you need someone to guide you around school for the first few days?" Dad asked.

Max nodded her head, but seemed to be off in a different world. At this point my cellphone decided to ring, angrily blasting out a few chords of some random song before I walked out of the room and picked up, "Hello?"

"Fangy! I was just wondering if you wanted to do something tonight, my parents are on a trip," My ex-girlfriend, Lissa screeched in my ear.

"Lissa, I broke up with you last week," I stated.

"I know you we're just joking, come on Fangy," She complained.

"Yeah, no. Bye Lissa," I rushed and hit end call. I walked back into the main room just in time to hear, ". . .So Iggy will be your guide at school. Oh, hey Fang, who was on the phone?"

"Lissa, she was trying to get me back," I explained.

"Did you say no? You better have, I never liked her," Iggy butted in.

"Who is Lissa?" Max asked.

"Fang's ex-girlfriend, she was clingy and was a jerk to Nude and I," Iggy stated for me.

"Oh, okay," Max whispered and turned her head back to mom and dad. "I'm going up to my room."

"Alright, we'll call you down for dinner," Dad replied and we all parted ways. With nothing else to do, I decided to follow Max as she cautiously walked up the stairs, using the rail to guide her. Once at the hallway, she dragged her fingertips of her right hand along the wall until she stopped at the door across from mine, "Why are you following me?"

"What?" I asked.

"Why are you following me?" She repeated, just barely speaking.

"Because I want to learn more about this mysterious person that is going to be living in my house," I responded cockily. Max mumbled something that sounded like 'you don't want to learn more about her' and promptly slammed the door in my face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone, I'M BACK! You guys can thank my friend for this chapter, she knows who she is. I kind of forgot to write up this chapter, but here you go!**

Max POV

I spent the rest of Saturday and the beginning of Sunday getting to know the house and starting to become friends with Iggy. Which mainly consisted of Iggy talking to me and me listening. Things were going well until Sunday afternoon, when Valencia decided to take me shopping with Iggy's girlfriend Nudge. I am now sitting in a dressing room, trying to figure out which of the clothes items Nudge brought me were tops, and which were bottoms. We had already purchased several pairs of jeans and graphic tee shirts that talkative Nudge had described for me. Now all the clothes were getting fancier.

"Nudge, when will I ever use these? And more importantly, how will I be able to match the colors up?" I asked quietly through the the dressing room door.

"One day you will look back on this day and thank me, and don't worry about not matching, I will make sure that you aren't a fashion disaster, just trust me," Nudge called back. It wasn't that I didn't trust her with this small matter, she seemed nice enough, but it was that the last time I wore anything other than jeans, a tee shirt, and a sweatshirt was at the funeral. My sweatshirt was there to cover up the scars on my arms from the accident. My arms and my eyes were the only parts of me that were not able to be put almost back to normal. The small scars on my face healed and the small cut on my stomach is barely visible, but my arms, they looked bad. Marked up with white lines going all over the place, that was how Anne had described them, but I knew they were much worse than that from the way that Anne liked to sugar-coat everything.

"I'm coming out," I called in almost a whisper. I stepped out and immediately felt self conscious in a mid thigh skirt and tank top.

"Max,those look so good on you! What are those on your-" Nudge's rambling was cut off by a wolf whistle coming from the main part of the store.

"Hey girl, I haven't seen you around here before, what do you say to a date or two?" An arrogant voice asked me.

"Dylan, leave her alone. Max, why don't you go get changed back into your regular clothes and we'll get those," Iggy's girlfriend suggested, pointedly dismissing Dylan.

"Max, hot name for a hot girl. A hot girl like you should have a date with a hot boy like me, I mean, just look at me," Dylan said. He sounded way too full of himself.

I couldn't help but snort at his last comment though, "Dude, just take you cockiness and leave. I don't think anyone wants you here."

My voice came out strong and commanding like it did when ever I was angered or stressed, otherwise my voice was weak and small. I heard Dylan huff in frustration and Nudge and I waited until his footsteps faded before going back to our conversation.

"Please tell me he doesn't go to our school," I quietly pleaded with Nudge as we walked out of the store to where Valencia would meet us. She split off to run a few errands a few store ago.

"Sorry, I wish I could tell you that, but I can't. What was with your voice, you should speak like that more often, nobody would ever bug us then! Ohh! There is this set of shoes that I've been meaning to buy. They are purple and are animal print, like an alligator print. They are so cool!" Nudge rambled. It amazes me how she can say all that in one breath.

"Ok," I whispered, my voice back to it's normal volume as Nudge dragged me into yet another shop.

**Soo, kind of crappy and fillery. I hope to post by next Tuesday because Tuesdays are the best! No offense to anyone out there, but Tuesdays rock for me. Oh, and Iggy can see by the way. :) I wanted Max to be in her own unique situation.**

**REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the next chapter! I just typed this up, so sorry for any typos.**

Fang POV

"Fang, you're driving Iggy and Max to school from now on," Mom shouted up to me as I rushed to get dressed. "And Nudge is coming with you today also."

"Ok mom!" I shouted back to her while I ran down the stairs dressed in my standard black tee-shirt and jeans. Iggy and Nudge we're waiting for me at the foot of the stairs,"Where's Ma-"

"Right here," the person in question interrupted quietly.

"Let's go!" Iggy screamed and bolted out the door to my car.

Iggy claimed shotgun and he and Nudge kept up animated chatter while Max and I were pretty quiet.

Immediately when I stepped out of the car I was mauled by a short girl with a mob of red hair, Lissa.

Great.

"Fangy! I know you we're just joking when you broke up with me, but I forgive you. Come on," Lissa screeched in her annoying, grating voice. Now that we weren't together anymore, I could see why my adopted brother thought of her as annoying. She dressed in clothes that barely covered her body and was really clingy.

"Lissa, I wasn't joking. Leave me alone," I pushed past her and walked into the school. Lissa followed me, begging for me to take her back. I risked a glance back at Nudge and co. To see Iggy laughing hysterically, Nudge explaining something to Max, and Max looking to my right a few feet, but I knew that the smirk that she was wearing was intended for me. I sighed and kept walking.

Max POV

I heard Fang walk away with what I assumed was Lissa clinging to him.

"I always thought she was a snit. Her voice is just so annoying, 'Hi I am Lissa!'" Nudge imitated, sending Iggy into another fit of laughter. I smirked at where I last heard Fang, thinking about his situation. Once Iggy recovered, we walked into the school. I stopped in my tracks at the attack on my senses. I could pick out each individual voice in a student body of over 300, but I sounded like much more. Several girls were wearing strong perfumes and I smelled faint traces of axe in the air.

Holding on to Iggy's arm, we made our way through the people towards the main office. Halfway there my sensitive ears picked out a voice I thought I would never hear again.

Ari.

**OHHHH!**

**Who's Ari? How does Max know him? Why did she think she would never see him again? I know. Review with who you think Ari is. All will be revealed (probably) next chapter. **

**R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So here it is. The truth about Ari. In ARI'S POV! Hope it clears somethings up. Here we go. . .**

Ari POV

I was laughing and talking with my new girlfriend, Ella. I remembered my first girlfriend, her name was Max. We were perfect together, and then her and her family got in a car accident. I haven't seen her since. She could be dea- no, Max can't be dead. I've tried contacting her, but I can't seem to find her. The only reason I am with Ella is because my mom wanted me to move on and forget about Max. At first I hated her, but now, things are different. I may be falling for her. I'm sorry Max, I have just been waiting too long for you.

"Hey Ella, are you free this Saturday for another date?" I asked her, an actual smile lighting up my face for the first time in a long time.

"Yeah, I was thinking about asking the new girl and a few of our friends to come with us. . ."

**So there you guys go, the truth about Ari and what happened from his point of view. I don't know about you people, but I almost cried writing the first part, it felt sad, like I was letting a character go, but I have to move on. If any of you have ideas, review and maybe I'll include them later. I will post by Friday to make up for the shortness of this chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ah, another chapter, that gives us some of Iggy's POV!**

Iggy POV

We were just walking down the hall on the way to pick up Max's schedule when she went ridged next to me. Nudge noticed to and stopped her rant about pink elephants or something or other to ask her about it, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just thought I heard something," Max quietly reassured us, but something about her seemed off. I had some bad experiences in foster home and Max was in the system for almost twice as long as I was. She must be severely traumatized. None the less, we traveled on.

"you have your first two classes with Fang and I, the third and fourth with Nudge, and your last two with Fang," I explained after we grabbed Max's schedule. She nodded and then we went to her locker and continued to homeroom, which Max had with all of us.

"We have a new student joining us today, would you like to introduce yourself Maxine?" Mrs. Jameson asked.

"It's Max, and not really, but I guess your going to make me. so I might as well. I'm Max, and I'm blind. Please don't ask me about it," She said in a normal voice, the loudest I had heard her talk.

"Just do what ever you want to, as long as it's not illegal and you don't leave the room," Mrs. Jameson told us, and started to correct papers and whatnot. I turned back to my girlfriend and my adopted sister to find Max 'staring' into space, thinking.

**And another short chapter. Sorry, this is just Max's first day of school and Iggy's POV right after the 'Ari incident.' The next chapter will be more of Max's foster homes life and will possibly be in Fang's POV if you guys really want it to be (HINT: REVIEW!) **

**I have some good ideas for the next chapter, I can't wait to post it!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So here it is.**

**The long awaited chapter.**

**Won't answer all your questions, but might give you some more. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or any songs used in this chapter**

**Do I really need to do that?**

**Anyways. . .**

**Read on~**

Fang's POV

I drove everybody home after school, and like that morning, Max was silent. We paraded into the house to meet the smell of mom's fresh baked cookies.

"What's that smell?" Max asked, a newbie to Mom's cooking.

"Only our mom's famous fresh baked, homemade cookies, they are amazing!" I replied, darting to the kitchen after my brother and sister.

"Hey Max! How was your first day at the high school?" Mom asked, pulling out another tray of the mouth watering cookies.

Nudge, Iggy and I pounced on the hot tray, grabbing the cookies.

"You guys, leave some for Max!" Mom exclaimed.

"Here try one," Nudge put a cookie in Max's hand and she hesitantly took it. Max cautiously put the cookie in her mouth and bit down. I saw Max's eyes widen in shock, and for a second, I thought that she didn't like them, but Max let a small sigh escape her lips and she slumped down on the couch with perfect aim, savoring the sweet flavor.

"I take it you like it?" Iggy asked, but it came out more like 'Ay ake et ou ike et?" Since he had five cookies shoved in his mouth.

Max nodded her head, I don't know how she understood him, and asked for another cookie.

We spent the next hour gouging on cookies and then parted ways to go do our homework at around 8 o'clock.

I looked out my window that faced the back yard. A shadow slipping out the back door caught my eye. Max's familiar color sweatshirt made me almost reel back in shock. What was she doing out there in the dark?

Max paused listening for anything out of the ordinary and slowly walked forward, arms out stretched. I grabbed my coat and crept down stairs and followed her out side, staying a good twenty feet behind her. She reached the fence and climbed over, reaching the back alley. Max ran down the alley with me in tow and abruptly stopped at the end of the alley. Listening for something, she cocked her head to the side and continued on. I kept pace with her, going farther into a bad part of town. I watched Max walk towards a door set in a wall that I wouldn't have normally seen if someone hadn't pointed it out. Max listened for a second before reaching forward, grasping the handle of the door, and disappearing into the darkness inside.

Max POV

I made my way back to the old band meeting point. Yes, I was in a band, back before I lost my eye sight. Ari, me, my brother, and one of Ari's friend named Sam. Ari and I were dating even though we were only eleven. It was more of a huge crush, and we weren't old enough to date, so we settled for just holding hands and being with each other. But I digress. I used to play piano and was the main singer. Ari played the most guitar out of the four of us, so he played that and did main male vocals. My brother just sat in the back and banged on the drums, while Sam played backup guitar. the thought of the four of them made my eyes water.

I knew my way back to the forgotten small apartment that we used when we stumbled upon it. I grew up in the area, so I could find my way back here blindfolded back then. After the accident, music became my way of letting everything go. I used a journal that had raised lines so I could figure out where to end my letters. I apparently have very good handwriting, according to one of my fellow orphans, who stumbled upon my book by mistake.

I wiped away the tears that gathered in my eyes from remembering the past and picked my way across the room to where I knew the piano lay, unless someone had changed the layout. I felt around for the worn down power switch and turned it on. My fingers moved to the keys and began to play a melody that I had come up with the day before I left the foster care center. Slow and steady, the music poured from my fingertips, seeming to run in my blood. I began to sing, softly at first, but slowly gaining power as I gat farther into the song.

_White lips, pale face_

___Breathing in snowflakes_

_Burnt lungs, sour taste_

_Light's gone, day's end_

___Struggling to pay rent_

___Long nights, strange men_

___And they say _

___She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since 18_

___But lately her face seems_

___Slowly sinking, wasting_

___Crumbling like pastries_

___And they scream_

___The worst things in life come free to us_

___Cos we're just under the upperhand_

___Go mad for a couple grams_

_And she don't want to go outside tonight_

_And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland_

_Or sells love to another man_

___It's too cold outside_

___For angels to fly_

_Angels to fly_

___Ripped gloves, raincoat_

___Tried to swim, stay afloat_

___Dry house, wet clothes_

___Loose change, bank notes_

___Weary-eyed, dry throat_

___Call girl, no phone_

_And they say _

_ She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since 18_

_But lately her face seems_

_Slowly sinking, wasting_

_Crumbling like pastries_

_And they scream_

_The worst things in life come free to us_

_Cos we're just under the upperhand_

_And go mad for a couple grams_

_And she don't want to go outside tonight_

_And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland_

_Or sells love to another man_

_It's too cold outside_

_For angels to fly_

_An angel will die_

___Covered in white_

___Closed eye_

___And hoping for a better life_

___This time, ____we'll fade out tonight_

___Straight down the line_

_And they say _

_ She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since 18_

_But lately her face seems_

_Slowly sinking, wasting_

_Crumbling like pastries_

_They scream_

_The worst things in life come free to us_

_And we're all under the upperhand_

_And go mad for a couple grams_

_And we don't want to go outside tonight_

_And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland_

_Or sell love to another man_

_It's too cold outside_

_For angels to fly_

_Angels to fly_

_To fly, fly_

_Angels to fly,_

_To fly, to fly_

_For angels to die  
_

I finished singing, a heavy feeling in my heart. One of the girls in the care center inspired the song, her name was Angel. She attempted suicide before she came, but was rescued by her boyfriend. Angel was my roommate, just a few years younger than me, and was adopted just before I was. My heart just sank farther in my chest thinking about everyone I met, and everyone I missed. I sat down on the floor, head on my hands, letting the tears of eight years rain down my face.

**Yay! Finally an ending that's not a cliffhanger! I felt that Max needed an outlet to let her feelings go. And Angel and Sam were introduced! Everyone who is a major character from the books will be used, I think I only have Gazzy, Dr. Gunther-Hagen, Total and Brigid left to go. Tell me if I'm missing anybody. The song is A Team by Ed Sheeran.**

**My longest chapter yet! 1,346 words!**

**Review so I know what you think about my story. And if you have any ideas for a later chapter. :P**

**See ya peeps!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter! I'm so proud of you guys for sticking with this story, even though it might take a strange turn sometime soon. Thank you to all who reviewed, it means a lot to me.**

**I keep forgetting to do disclaimers. ARGGGG!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum ride**

Fang POV

I waited for a few seconds, and when Max didn't come out, I opened the door and was hit by a soft piano song. A girl started to sing, I assumed it was Max. She started singing a soft song that just poured from her heart, she put all emotions into it and it was so saddening. I never knew Max could sing so beautifully. I pulled out my phone and started recording her song. When she finished, Max paused and seemed to be having a flashback. She suddenly slumped against the wall, and I heard small sobs coming from her. I stood there for a few seconds, stunned and then moved forward to comfort her. I sat next to her and pulled her into me, muttering words calmly. After a few seconds she came to her senses and froze, pulling away from me and scooted back, "W- what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked her. Max's unseeing eyes were wide in fear.

"I used to come here with some of my old friends," Max whispered, reminiscing.

"Are you okay?" I asked as Max stood up and walked towards the door.

"Never follow me again," Was all she muttered. The door opened and the room was flooded in light. she turned back to give me one last glance, but missed by a few feet. Max closed the door, leaving me all alone. A few minutes later, I slipped out too and followed my path her towards home.

In my bed, I couldn't sleep, not without knowing what was bothering Max. Something happened that haunted her, something froze her heart over. I knew I shouldn't become this attached to a girl, but Max was a mystery, one I wanted- no needed- to unravel.

**And so, another chapter finishes, short, kind of interesting, but mostly fillery. Sorry for the wait, my life's been pretty nuts lately, so I will try to post by Friday.**

**Review if you have any ideas, or so that I know that you like my story!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I uploaded early! I'm so proud of myself! **

**I know the last few chapters have been depressing, but this one is most likely going to be more optimistic! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. JP does.**

Max POV

-In The Morning-

"Max! ready for school?" Valencia called up the stairs.

I walked down stairs, already dressed and awake.

"How long have you been up?" She asked as I walked toward where the kitchen should be from memory. I shrugged, "A few hours."

"Okay, Fang! If you do not get down here in ten minutes, You're going to be late to school," Valencia resumed her wake up call.

I walked into the kitchen where I heard Nudge and Iggy talking, "What do you think of Max?"

"She's nice, I can tell she's had a hard life, so go easy on her Nudge," That was Iggy.

"I know, but I wish she would open up to us, you know. And not be so uptight," For once Nudge wasn't ranting.

"There is more to her story than any one has ever known. Some of my foster homes have haunted me to today and will forever."

"I think she's depressed, Max didn't talk to anyone yesterday, except for you and I, at school. I hope she doesn't cut. That would be horrible Iggy."

"I'm not sure if she does or not. It was hard for me to stay away from knives when I was in the system," Time to make a grand appearance.

I slowly walked into the dining room and the conversation immediately stopped.

"Hi Max, how was your sleep?" Iggy asked, trying to be friendly.

I smirked, knowing that they had no idea that I was listening in on their previous topic. Clever way to cover it up, "I slept alright."

"Really? I think that my mattress is soo comfortable, like those snuggies. They're amazing! Did you hear about that accident that happened on Main Street today Iggy, apparently some one was killed. . ." Nudge continued, but I tuned her out once she got to the part about the accident. It brought back bad memories.

"Iggy, where is the cereal?" I interrupted quietly.

"Let me get it for you," Someone said from behind me, Fang.

"Can you stop doing that?" I whispered.

"Stop what? Breathing?" He replied cockily. We are back to arrogant Fang, joy.

"Could you please? And I liked you much better when you were nicer," I replied. Fang poured the cereal and added milk in two bowls. I grabbed one and tried to figure out where the table was. I sat down and Fang pressed a spoon in my hand.

"What are you guys staring at?" Fang asked Iggy and Nudge, I'm guessing.

"You just had a full conversation, with Max, nonetheless," Nudge stated, her voice filled with awe.

"So?" I asked under my breath, but Iggy must have heard me.

"Fang never speaks that much, not even with Lissa. and you have never said more than a few words at a time."

"Lets get to school," Fang changed the subject so things were less awkward.

"Yeah, lets go!" Nudge exclaimed.

-At school-

We were all in homeroom, but Fang sat on the other side of the room, Nudge told me about how he was one of the most popular kids in the school, even though he doesn't speak much.

"Max, I was wondering, would you like to have a sleepover with me and my friend Ella? Her boyfriend, Fang and Iggy are having one the same night," Nudge asked me.

"Um. Sure," I said, nervous. I had never had a sleepover before. Lets see how this goes.

**Finally, a plot line! I admit that I haven't really had one until this point, so lets see where this one takes us. **

**Review so I know how I'm doing!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi people! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride!**

Fang POV

Nudge invited Max and Ella over to her place, which was right next door for a sleepover. Iggy and I invited Ari, Ella's boyfriend over for a sleepover, but we would probably end up crashing theirs.

"Ready for tonight Fang?" Ari was coming over earlier so we could talk to my mom and get her on board with our idea.

"Let's do this!" Iggy screamed as he approached the car.

"Where's Max?" I asked him. Ari stiffened, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," He responded, looking shaken.

"Max is coming," Iggy stated after a few minutes of awkward silence. Sure enough, there was Max, running towards the car. Ari and Iggy were in the back, so Max had to sit next to me.

"Where do I sit?" Max asked timidly.

"Shotgun," I told her and she climbed in with such precision that I forgot that she was blind for a second.

"Max?" Ari asked, his face pale.

"Ari," Max whispered in response.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you contact me? What happened to us?" Ari rapid fired at her.

"Places, I couldn't, and I don't know what to feel anymore," Max quietly replied and leaned her head on the window, closing the topic for discussion.

"Why is she riding with us? How do you guys know her?" Ari turned towards Iggy and I.

"She lives at our house, Max is being fostered by us," Iggy almost seemed afraid to say.

"What do you mean by 'fostered?'"

"We are her foster family," I stated, my voice just above a whisper, I was afraid to anger Ari, her had quite a temper.

"Oh," Ari shut up and the rest of the ride home was silent.

When we arrived, my mom was waiting out front with Nudge, Ella, and a duffle bag, which I guessed was for Max.

"Max, Here is your bag for the sleepover, have a good time. ella and Nudge told me early about it," My mom rambled.

"Thanks," Max replied softly as she took the bag that my mom pressed in her hands. She walked over to Nudge's house with Ella and Nudge.

"Ella's stuff is already over there and we can give each other makeovers and stuff. Ella, do you still have that blue dress that we found, That would look beautiful on Max, would really outline her eyes and hair," I heard Nudge start rambling as they walked away.

"What's up with Max?" Ari asked as we plopped down in my room.

"She is an orphan. . ." I started apprehensively.

"And?" Ari prompted. I looked over at Iggy, neither of us wanted to tell him the bad news.

"Max is blind," I rushed out, taking control of the situation.

"What? How could Max be blin- The accident," Ari interruppted himself in horror.

"What accident?" Iggy asked, confused.

"Eight years ago, Max and her family were in an accident, I never saw her again."

"I never realized that. Ari, did you know Max before the accident?" I asked, sneaking a peak at Iggy to see his reaction.

"Yeah, we were best riends, Had huge crushes on eachother too. We were planning on dating later, and then getting married as soon as possible for us. After the accident, I never saw her again. I was devistated. She could have been dead. I eventually moved on and started dating Ella," Ari finished, a depressed look on his face.

"Did you guys have a secret hideout?" I asked out of the blue, remembering that place that Max had visited a last night.

"Yeah, an abandoned apartment that everyone had forgotten about. We had a band in there. Max played piano and was female lead singer, one of my friends was a guitarist and so was I, but I was male lead singer. Max's brother was on drums. we were pretty good, actually, for only being 7 years old," Ari said, reminicing, "Why do you ask?"

"Could you take me there?"

**And so, another chapter uploaded. Kind of stupid, but the best I could come up with. I'll update Tuesday. If I update Tuesday, I will usually update on Friday or Saturday.**

**Review so I know what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**I actually updated today! I didn't think I would be able to with all I had going on, but here is the next chapter. Have fun reading!**

Nudge POV

Max was waiting for Ella and I to finish up picking out her outfit. Max was lucky, she didn't need much makeup to make her look beautiful. I'm pretty sure that Fang is already falling for her.

"Found it!" Ella exclaimed, jolting me out of my thoughts. Ella raised up the blue dress that we had been looking for forever, well maybe not that long, but it was a while.

"I grabbed one of Max's bras and a pair of her underwear and handed them to her.

"Nudge, please don't make me wear this," I Max mumbled through the door.

"You're not coming out unless you have it on," Ella yelled back at her.

"Fine," Max grumbled softly.

Ella and I waited for her to come out. When she stepped out, I loved how the dress fit on her. It was a simple dark blue dress that showed off Max's figure. Ella squealed and dashed out the door to get her Makeup and hair equipment.

"Max, what happened to your arms?" I asked quietly, noticing that her arms were covered in many thin white scars running everywhere..

"I was in a car accident when I was younger," Max mumbled, her hair cascading over her face as she looked down. I rushed up to her and embraced her thin frame with my arms. A few seconds later I felt her thin arms wrap around me and I smiled to myself, she was starting to open up to me.

"Um, sorry to ruin the hug fest, but I'm ready to start on Max's Hair and makeup if you are," Ella stated awkwardly.

"Come on," I guided Max over to the chair we had set up, "Max, you are sooo lucky, you don't need barely any makeup at all. and you are so beautiful, you don't even need to try to look beautiful. I need so much makeup to try and cover my ugly face."

"Nudge, you're beautiful," Ella said.

"I don't think so," I replied, feeling embarrassed.

"If you weren't, would Iggy date you? Then you have to be beautiful," Ella reasoned. She picked up the curler and started to curl Max's hair and I did Max's makeup. After doing makeovers on ourselves, I walked down stair to get shoes for us while Ella woke Max up.

"Here are ballet flats for you Max, you look beautiful, I thought that you might like flats better than heels," I said as they walked down the stairs.

"thank you," She replied.

"We are going to go next door and show off our makeovers to the boys."

"Okay."

We set out the door, with Max holding on to my arm so that she didn't get lost. As soon as I reached up to ring the doorbell, The front door abruptly flew open.

"Hi guys," I said as We waltzed in. Iggy staring at me, Ari looking between Max and Ella and Fang staring at Max, who looked uncomfortable.

"HI girls, we were just about to head out," Iggy said.

"Head where?" Ella asked seductively to Ari and I swore I saw him drool.

"I was going to show the guys the old band hangout. do you guys want to come?" Ari stated, shaking himself out of his daydreams. The other guys slowly came to their senses too.

"Sure," I shrugged. I took the arm that Iggy held out for me. Ella took Ari's and Fang grabbed Max's hand.

"Can I stay here?" Max asked quietly.

"Um sure, just stay in the house," Fang looked rejected as she pulled away from him and headed up to her room.

After taking a few side streets and alleyways, we arrived at a door that was cleverly disguised in the wall. Ari entered and everyone else followed him. Her flicked a switch and the darkroom was flooded with light. Old band instruments lay in disarray and the only thing that looked used was an old keyboard.

"This is the old hangout," Ari whispered, as if there were spirits around.

"Have you guys heard Max sing?" Fang asked randomly.

"No," we all answered except for Ari.

"I heard her sing a long time ago," Ari said, "Why, have you heard her sing?"

"Yeah, she's really good. I have a recording of it actually," Fang pulled out his cellphone and played a recording. A sad song filled the empty air around us. None of us doubted that it was Max, the same empty feeling that was in her eyes was in the voice.

After the recording finished, we all sat there for a little bit, trying to hang onto the last few notes of the beautiful song.

"We should start the band again," Ella and I exclaimed in unison.

"What?" The guys asked.

"If we start the band again, maybe Max will be happy!" I said, my mind whirling with possibilities.

"No," Iggy and Ari stated.

"Why not?" Fang asked, seemed like he was on board with us.

"I know from experience, that the past and anything that reminds a foster child of his or her's past can start the water works. I have spent my entire life almost running away from everything that happened during and before the foster homes.

"And with Max being as fragile as she is, chances are good that this would only cause her more pain, but there is a slight chance that it may work. I know that you're trying to get her to open up to you Nudge, so this might work," Iggy seemed to be more and more with the idea by the second. "I'm in."

"I might as well join you guys, this will either wreak Max or fix her, I hope and pray that this will fix her," Ari sighed.

"Yeah! let's figure out what we are going to do!" I exclaimed, for once I had people that supported one of my ideas.

**So a little bit of Nudge's POV. Is it just me, or is it really hard to write Nudge rants and her POV. I have a hard time coming up with things for her to say, but that might just be because I don't talk much around people.**

**I only got one review on my last chapter. :( Where did everybody go?**

**Review so I know how I'm doing and if anyone out there has any ideas!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am updating today instead of tomorrow because I have a party and will not be able to update tomorrow so. . .**

**Disclaimer (I always forget to do this): I don't own Maximum Ride**

Fang POV

I was actually looking forward to the band as the five of us headed back to the house a little while later. We had decided who would play what instruments. Ella was on piano. Nudge was on base. Ari and I would switch off with lead guitar. Iggy would be on drums. We decided to start off with covers and move to original stuff once we showed Max.

"You okay there Fang?" Iggy moved over to me from Nudge, "You were spacing out there a little bit."

"Yeah, I just hope that this band idea works," I sighed.

"Oh, what do you want to be our band name?" Iggy asked me.

"I don't know," I replied, getting tired.

"THE FLOCK!" Ella yelled from where she was walking in the group.

"What?" Everybody chorused.

"We should be called The Flock!" Ella said, "Unless there was a band name that you guys had when you were younger."

Ari shook his head, "We never had a name, we just played for fun, never original stuff."

"Then The Flock!" Ella continued.

"I don't know," Iggy started.

"Come on Iggy, it's the best name we have come up with so far!" Nudge pleaded.

"I don't care," I put in my two cents.

"Good enough for me," Ari agreed.

"Then I guess that I am out voted anyways," Iggy sighed, "But it'll do."

"Make sure not to tell Max yet," Nudge whispered before she opened the door to my house. I didn't realize how close we had gotten in such a short amount of time.

"Okay," We shrugged.

"Max! We're home!" Nudge and Ella shouted up the stairs towards Max's room.

"Shall we go downstairs?" I asked Iggy and Ari, the girls would probably stay up in Max's room for the rest of the night.

"Sure," They nodded and we were about to go down the stairs when Nudge stopped us.

"Wait! We have to play _truth or dare_!"

**Sorry it's short, it's all I have time for. Thank you everybody for the reviews, I'm so happy! :P**

**Max does not have wings in this fanfic. I'm pretty sure that she will never have wings, but I'm still deciding in future plotline, so she might (READ: very small chance) have wings. If you have any other questions, REVIEW and I will try to answer them!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I updated early, I'm SUPER busy tomorrow and I won't have time to update, so I'm updating today! Lucky chapter 13! Or unlucky, depends on how you look at it. **

**I felt my heart wrench out of my chest as I wrote this. For both Max and Fang alike. I'm kind of depressed now, so I will go sit in the corner and cry while you read this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Max POV

The girls had dragged me down to the living room to play truth or dare, which I wasn't happy about. Every time anyone played this, things got out of hand.

"I'll go first!" Nudge shouted as footsteps that belonged to the boys (I hope) reached my ears, "Fang, truth or dare?"

"Dare," He replied, sounding cocky again, I never knew with Fang, sometimes he was nice, other times he was a jerk, I guess it depended on the day.

"I dare you to kiss Max for twenty seconds," Nudge stated, something in her voice sounded evil.

"Are you okay with this Max?" I heard Fang ask hesitantly.

"Um. Sure," I stuttered, not quite sure what to say. I Felt his hot breath on my face and before I knew it, his lips were on mine. they softly worked against mine, but I could tell that he was holding back and trying not to push me too far. I smiled into the kiss and I felt Fang smirk. I could see fireworks (not that I've seen any in awhile) on the inside of my eyelids and every nerve in my body told me that this was right.

"Guys, um, guys, you can stop kissing now," Iggy interrupted from next to me.

"Sorry," Fang mumbled as he retreated back to his spot across from me.

"Fang, it's your turn," Ella said.

"Alright. Ari, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Ari stated.

"Okay, let's see. I got it! I dare you to kiss Ella," Fang dared him.

"Really Fang, you couldn't come up with anything better?" Ari asked.

"Just do it," Fang sighed. I heard a kissing sound soon afterwards. I'm glad that Ari moved on, even if I'm not completely over him.

"There," Ari finished. I could feel the smirk in his voice.

"Max truth or dare?" Ari asked me softly.

"Truth," I didn't want to get stuck with some stupid dare or anything.

"I just want answers, but how many foster homes have you been to?" Ari asked and the room temperature dropped twenty degrees instantly.

I started to count in my head, there was the Parsons, then the Blacks, Mrs. Carson, Macleans, then a few others that I never bothered to learn their names. Lastly I was at Mr. Washe's house. I was taken away before I was adopted, but that was an experience I never want to relive.

"Over eight," I whispered and the temperature dropped even lower. I wondered what everyone would think, that I was a freak for not having a regular family, or if they would pity me, for the same reason. I didn't want either, I wanted to be accepted for who I was, past and all. But I know that life doesn't work that way.

After a few seconds of silence, I stood up shakily and was going to make my way to my bedroom to think about how unfair life was when an arm stopped me.

"Don't go," Fang whispered in my ear, sending shivers up and down my spine.

"Why not?" I countered, my voice having a hard edge to it accidentally.

"Can we talk about this out in the hallway?" He asked.

"You can talk and hope I listen," I knew they wouldn't accept me, just like everyone else, so why was he trying to make this harder than it needed to be?

"Good enough," He replied and pulled me out into the hallway. I leaned on one of the walls and waited after a few minutes, I heard hushed whispers coming from the living room where we just exited.

"If you're gonna talk, then talk!" I exploded after waiting for a little while.

"I just don't know how to phrase this, I know that you think that we're all going to abandon you, but we aren't. At least, I'm not going to leave you. I don't know if you felt it, but when you and I kissed, all I could feel were fireworks, and I know that I'm already falling for you, so just trust me," Fang finished. He had grabbed my hands and pushed me up against the wall I was leaning on.

"I felt it, but Fang you need to understand, that I can't trust anybody, especially after what happened in my past. Everyone I trusted and loved in the past had disappeared on me, I can't let my heart open up again and just be shot down once more, and by someone I live in the same house with. Fang, you need to hear me out, I may start to trust you, but it will take time, I'm falling for you too, but I can't allow myself to get hurt," I said, my heart breaking. I had just rejected the one person that I had started to love after what happened with my parents, but I knew that if I allowed a relationship to grow between us, I would eventually get hurt and I don't think I would be able to handle that.

"I'm sorry Fang, but we would never work out. I don't want to get hurt," I said, even though I could tell that he wasn't listening. I shoved him away and did the only thing I could think of. I ran away from my troubles.

**I couldn't resist the classic ending. I hope you guys like it, 'cause I had to retype it three times to get everything to work out. Was it to cliché? It's so tragic, I can't believe that I decided to end my chapter like that, but to late now. I just realized that I ended kind of on a cliffhanger. Don't worry, Fang will have some secrets of his own that you guys don't know about yet. Hehehe *rubs hands together evilly***

**Until Friday, my readers!**

**REVIEW so I know how I'm doing!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Another chapter. WHOOOO! Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride!**

**I always forget to add that.**

Fang POV

I can't believe that she did that. She ran away from me, right after I worked up enough courage to tell her my true feelings. Max said that she wasn't able to trust me. That cut deep. I mean, who tells someone that you don't trust them right after they confess their love to you? Well, besides Max.

I walked back into the living room where everyone was waiting.

"Fang? What's wrong?" Nudge asked, the conversations stopping immediately.

"Well," I started," I confessed to Max that I'm starting to fall in love with her and then she told me how we could never be and how she couldn't trust me. Then she ran away."

"What?!" Ella exclaimed.

"I just told you," I replied, not wanting to talk about it yet.

"Fang, remember when I first came here, I wouldn't talk to you for days, then I started to trust you more and I started talking to you and now we're best friends," Iggy said, "Just give her time, I know it's hard to go from being unable to trust anyone to trusting someone."

"I'll try, but she just shot me down, she didn't even hesitate."

"Fang, if she shot you down, maybe she's just looking for a way to test you, the real question is why are you in here moping around, when you could be going after her and getting her to trust you," Ari stated. he did have a point, but I knew that she was long gone.

"Fang, you know where she is. At the place she always goes to figure out her troubles," Iggy said and smiled.

"Go get her tiger," Ari encouraged as I walked towards the door.

I ran down the alleyway to where the hidden door was. I slowly pushed it open. I could hear Max crying.

"Why does life always do this to me? Why? Why?" She screamed and slid down the wall that she was leaning on. Max's eyes were shut tight and her hand were in fists.

"Max," I said quietly. She looked up, her unseeing eyes somehow trained directly on me.

"What are you doing here?" Max asked, confused.

"I just wanted to know if you were okay," I said and I could see her disappointment written all over her face, maybe she did like me!

"I'm fine. Fang, I don't know what to do at this point in my life. I do feel something for you, but it's been so long since I've loved anyone that I don't know if this is real love or just a crush. I don't want to get hurt if you're just playing me," She whispered, sobs still racking her body.

My heart dropped. How could she think that I was playing her?

"Max, believe me when I say this. I won't and never will play you. I'm falling in love with you and playing you would hurt me too much," I said as I crouched beside her and grabbed one of her hands.

"I don't know you well enough to know that you won't play me. I've only known you for a couple of days, barely a week," Max had a point, but I didn't want to admit that.

"Just give me a chance," I mumbled and before she could say anything, I pressed my lips to hers.

**There you guys go there's your chapter. JK there's more. Keep reading. :)**

The kiss was everything I thought it would be and more. I don't know if Max saw the fireworks that were going off in my head, but I definitely saw them. Even though it was our second kiss, I felt like I wanted to be with Max forever. I licked my tongue across her lip, asking for entrance. She kept her mouth tightly closed so I tilted my head and started to play with her hair. This must have come as a shock to her, because she gasped and I slipped my tongue into her mouth. Max tasted of chocolate and strawberries, I could tell because she had no lip gloss on. I finally pulled away, "Will you give me a chance?"

"Yes," Max whispered and I couldn't help but press my lips against hers again.

**You guys, well the four people that reviewed, asked for Fax, so there you guys go! I can't believe that I got to fourteen chapters already!**

**REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15

**HI PEOPLES! I set up a poll a few days ago for you people to have input on what should happen next in this fanfic, but nobody has taken it so far. :(**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Max POV

Whenever I kissed Fang, all my other senses shut down and all I could think was Fang, Fang, Fang. I felt his warm, moist lips on my and the feel of his hands holding me tight to my body, as if this might be the last time to kiss me.

Finally Fang pulled away, only to rest his forehead on mine, "Max, you're amazing."

"Thank you," I blushed and looked away.

"Shall we go back into the house? I think they're waiting for us," Fang stated. He grabbed my hand and led me into the house.

"What happened out there Fang?" Iggy asked and the questions immediately started to bombard us. I buried my face into Fang's chest and the voices stopped.

"Awww. Look at them, Max's hiding into Fang's chest," I assume Nudge or Ella said.

"Are you two official?" Ari asked. I was proud that he moved on, even if part of my heart was breaking for him. He deserved to be happy and Ella made him happy.

"I don't know, Max, will you be my girlfriend?" Fang asked, and I nodded my head, still curled up into his chest.

"You two are so cute together," Iggy said in a high pitched girly voice.

"Iggy, shut up," I mumbled and yawned.

"You tired?" Fang asked.

"Yeah," I yawned.

"I'll bring you to your bedroom."

"Don't have too much fun up there," Iggy hollered as we climbed the stairs. I heard Ari laugh as I rolled my eyes. Halfway up the stairs I started to collapse. Fang caught me just under my knees and carried me the rest of the way up.

"Fang, I can walk. . ." I protested but trailed off. The last thing I noticed before I fell into the abyss of sleep was Fang lying me on my bed.

**Short and sweet. If any of you want to have a say in what happens next, take the poll. **

**Review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**The power went out in my school so I'm uploading now. The power went out during lunch time and we just sat around for about an hour. **

**The next few chapters might get a little rough, so just hang in here with me. Everything will be resolved in time. I just needed some more drama. Let me know if it gets to be too much. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Iggy POV

-A few weeks later, in the morning-

I woke up, or at least tried to wake up. I couldn't see anything and my feet and wrists were bound together with coarse rope. I struggled a bit, but stopped when I felt a thick sticky liquid run down my hand. Blood. I lay down on the cold, hard floor and thought about where I could be. I heard footsteps approach. This must be like how Max is. Being unable to see anything. I felt two hands reach around my head and take off the blindfold. I squinted in the bright light. a man, about fifty or so years of age, with black/grey hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a suit.

"What do you want with me?" I whispered, knowing that this man held all the power now.

"I don't want anything to do with you in particular. It's Maximum that is what everyone is playing for," He explained, studying me.

"Why do you want Max?" I asked, my voice still soft.

"I orchestrated her parent's death. Where they would die, when they would die, and how they would die. But there was one variable. Maximum. I didn't know if she would come with her parents on that car ride. I knew her brother would be there. Maximum somehow escaped death. getting away with only her eyesight wounded. I'm only holding you to lure Max out of whatever foster home they've put her in now," The man spoke, getting up from a crouch and started to pace around the cement room.

"Max isn't in a foster home," I knew that I could be beaten for it, but it might save my skin later.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Max was adopted a few weeks ago," I explained.

"(Enter swear word of you choice here). Omega!" He called. a hidden door in the wall opened up and a young man just a few years older than me walked in.

"Yes?" Omega asked. His hair was a dark brown, and his eyes were a greenish color. He wore a suit also.

"Maximum was adopted a few weeks ago," The older man said to Omega.

"Lets discuss this elsewhere," Omega suggested. They left the room together after putting my blindfold back on. I let my mind wander, thinking about how the band hadn't gotten many rehearsals in yet and they I started to think about right now. What did Omega and the older man want Max for, and why is it such a big deal that she was adopted?

**So yeah. A little out there, but hang in there things will get better. **

**Review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I'm updating a day early because one of my friends wants to find this story but she hasn't been able to. This chapter will clear up many things and it's long too! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Fang's POV

I woke up the next morning, expecting to find Iggy laying in his sleeping bag on the floor. I saw his sleeping bag empty. I walked down stairs, and explored the entire house, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Iggy!" I called, making sure he wasn't hiding.

"What's up man? I'm trying to sleep," Ari complained.

"I can't find Iggy anywhere," I notified him. Ari shot straight up.

"What do you mean you can't find Iggy anywhere?" He questioned.

"He's not here."

"Should we call his parents' house, maybe he walked home this morning," Ari suggested.

"All of his stuff's still here," I shook my head.

"Let's check with the girls, he may have sleep walked over to Nudge's house."

"Sure," I agreed and we walked over to Nuge's house.

"Nudge, anyone!" I called and knocked on the door.

A tired looking Ella answered, "What do you want Fang?"

"Is Iggy there?" Ari asked. Ella perked right up.

"Not to my knowledge, but I'll ask Nudge if she let him in," She disappeared up the staircase. Ari and I walked into the house.

"Iggy isn't here, why do you ask?" Nudge came bolting down the stairs in pink hello kitty pajamas.

"His stuff is still at my house and we can't find him anywhere," I explained and Nudge looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"What's going on guys?" Max mumbled as she stumbled down the stairs in her Pjs too.

"We can't find Iggy," I explained yet again.

"Is his stuff still at your house?" Max asked me.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Call his parents," She ordered and turned in the general direction of where Nudge was crying, "Calm down, we'll find him."

"I just tried his parents, he isn't there," Ari said and I gulped.

"Let's see if whoever took him left any clues behind," Ella suggested, trying to cheer Nudge up.

"Okay," I nodded and we set off for my room. We looked all throughout the house, inside his sleeping bag, around his stuff, the kitchen. One of the downstairs windows had been forced open, but that was all we could gather. Max walked into the kitchen with scary precision as the rest of us gathered to think about who took him and why. Her face was white as a sheet and she held a small piece of paper between her hands.

"Can somebody read this out loud?" Max asked.

"Sure," Ari took the scrap, that was a little bigger than a hand and wrinkled up. he started reading, "Hello Maximum and friends, I would wish you good times, but I'm afraid that for you, these are no good times. I have your friend. Iggy is it? Maximum, you know what I want in return for your friend. If I do not get what I want, I will be very unhappy. You may recall that when I am unhappy, I tend to hurt people. I give you three hours to comply or your friend may require a body bag. I might give you a little more persuasion. Your other friends look like easy targets, Maximum. But for now, goodbye. Signed, You know who I am."

By the time Ari finished reading, Max was shaking and paler than she was before. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to comfort her.

"Max, who is that man?" Nudge asked.

"He was. . ." She trailed off.

"Max, I know it might be hard for you to talk about it, but we need you to tell us who that man is," Ella said.

"He was one of my former foster parents. He would beat me everyday, and would do other things to me," Max 'stared' at the wall and a few stray tears leaked through her carefully built mask.

"What was his name?" I gently asked, not wanting Max to get pushed too far, but we needed answers.

"His name was Hans Gunther-Hagen. He fostered me and Gazzy, he was another orphan. Gazzy's real name was Zephyr, but everyone called him Gazzy because of his messed up digestive system," Max almost smiled, thinking about Gazzy, "He reminded me of my brother, Ratchet, because they both loved to cause trouble. I finally escaped Gunther-Hagen after he took me and Gazzy to a human experimentation lab. Gazzy d-died there."

Max started to cry full on sobs, but no noise ever left her mouth.

"What does he want from you now?" Ari thought out loud.

"He wants to have me return to the human experimentation lab, and experiment on me. He planned on giving Gazzy and I avian DNA. He had one successful avian-human experiment his name was Omega, and he was my age. Hans wanted me and Omega to breed together to compare Gazzy to our child. Luckily I was rescued before he could start the experiments," Max answered. This all got me thinking, what all has Max gone through?

**Hansy is in here! Tell me what you guys think. I appreciate reviews. How is the twist? I know someone reviewed saying that they didn't want this to become a documentary of Max and Fang Making out. Don't worry, it won't become that. I plan on making things hard for Max and Fang to fully get together, so obstacles that you guys think up will be greatly appreciated!**


	18. Chapter 18

**I updated a really short chapter, don't kill me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Iggy's POV

I didn't know how long I'd been here, my only hope is that Max, or somebody, will come and get me soon. Neither Omega or the older man had come by, so I'm assuming something is going on. I couldn't move, and my arms are killing me. I started to hum to try to calm myself down, when the door opened and the older man walked in.

"Maximum has not come by yet, so I might get another one of your friends," He knelt down beside me.

"What do you want from Max?" I coughed out, I hadn't had a drop of water in a while.

"I just want the ability to test on her, I might have to use you if she doesn't comply though," The man spoke as if deep in thought.

"Test on her?" My eyes widened. What did he mean?

"Yes, I always wanted to cure her eyesight, and wings would have been a nice touch. She would have gone nicely with Omega. I could have created an army," He explained.

"Why don't you use someone else?" The idea just popped into my head.

"Maximum's molecular structure is perfect for entering the serum into, with anyone else, The cells could reject the serum and could kill the person. Finding another person with Maximum's molecular structure could take years, even lifetimes. No, it has to be Maximum," He finished. He stood up and exited the room slamming the door behind him. Well, that went well.

**Kind of a crappy chapter, I'm going through writer's block, so let me know if you guys have any ideas for the story. I'd greatly appreciate it. I will try to update by Tuesday if I have a revelation for the next chapter. I'm stuck right now.**

**Review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**This is gonna be a short update. It's like 8:34 pm right now and I have to go to bed soon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Max POV

I knew what I had to do. I had to turn myself into Hans in order to save Iggy and the rest of my new friends from him. As much as it pained me to turn myself in. I knew that this was the price I paid for letting people close to me.

"I have to go to the store, I'll be back later," I whispered as everyone was arguing about how to save Iggy.

"Alright," Fang was the only one who heard me.

"Bye," I murmured to the house and to Fang. I followed the path to Hans' house. He would take me to the lab and let Iggy go. I knocked on the door.

"Hello Maximum. I've been expecting you. Please come in," Hans grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house. I put out my hand and stabilized myself against the wall. I still knew the layout of this place like the back of my hand.

"Let Iggy go," I whispered, afraid that Hans would harm me for speaking.

"As long as I have your full cooperation," He bargained.

"Alright," I agreed.

"Omega! Let the boy go. We've got the girl!" He shouted. Oh no. Omega was still around. I thought he died a few years ago.

"Yes sir," I heard the same rough voice that haunted me in my sleep say. I gasped. It was him.

"Omega never died, I just made you think he was dead so you would come more willingly," Hans explained.

"Max!" I heard Iggy shout.

"Shut up!" Omega responded and I heard skin against skin. That would leave a mark.

I heard their loud footsteps in front of me.

"Max?" Iggy gasped.

"Hi," I mumbled weakly.

"Sedate him," Hans ordered.

I heard a loud thud. Some one grabbed my arm, I'm assuming it was Omega.

"Get her in the truck!" Hans shouted. I was shoved roughly into a vehicle. I heard the truck, I'm assuming, start up and start driving away from everything I had.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Omega whispered in my ear, but his voice had a touch of arrogance in it. I felt a slight pinch in my arm and Omega say, "Sleep well, my princess. You'll be safe with me."

**That wasn't as crappy as I thought it would be. I'm pretty proud of myself because I updated today! (Tuesday)**

**Review so I know what you people think of my story!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I updated on Friday! At five to ten, but who cares. This chapter was a lot of fun to write!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. **

Iggy POV

That kid threw me out of the house that I was in and took Max into this truck looking thing and drove away with this older man. What the heck?

I slowly stood up, ignoring my aching joints and walked down the road. Omega had taken off the tape I was tied up with. After a few minutes of walking, I found myself at the road where Fang and Max lived on. I walked up to Fang's doorstep and knocked. A few seconds later, A teary eyed Nudge opened the door.

"Iggy?" She whispered.

"Hi," Was all I could get out before she attacked me in a hug that I eagerly returned.

"Who's at the door Nudge? Is Max home yet?" I heard Fang ask.

"It's me," I coughed out, my throat sore from not using it.

"Where's Max?" Fang eyes widened.

"I tried to stop them from taking her, but I couldn't do anything. Fang, Omega and that older dude have your girlfriend," I explained.

"The older dude's name is Hans, Hans Gunther-Hagen," Fang stated.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"He left a note that basically blackmailed Max into going with him," Ari joined us.

"What is he going to do to her?" I wondered out loud.

"Experiment on- on her," Ella choked out through tears streaming down her face.

"Why her?" I looked up, wondering why Max, such a nice and caring girl had to go through all this pain and torture.

"She was a foster child of his, he killed the other foster kid she was with and almost started to experiment on her, but didn't get to before she was taken out of his care," Nudge mumbled into my shirt. We stood in silence, trying to comprehend this monstrosity that was taking place behind the scenes, that we never even thought about might happen. Until someone close to us was put through it.

"That leaves us with only one option," I started.

"What's that?" Fang's eyes were puffy, trying to hold back tears that couldn't be contained.

"We're going after her," I stated.

**So, What did you guys think of this chapter. I must say, I need to start getting some reviews or I'm going to stop uploading this story. This was my favorite chapter to write. I knew exactly where I wanted it t go, and I wrote it that way. I'll update on my birthday (AKA: Tuesday!)**

**Review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**It's an early chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Max POV

-Skipping a few days-

I look around the containment center that I'm trapped in. Four other human mutants are here with me. And yes I said look. The first operation performed was for my sight, I want to forget it.

_Flashback_

_I was pulled into a room and strapped to a table. _

_"Don't worry Maximum, this will only hurt. . . A lot," Hans laughed. Something was put over my head and it pulled up my eyelids. I started to panic when I realized they were going to fix my eyes. With out a pain reliever. _

_It was painful, and when they finished I opened my eyes and I could see, but the memory still haunts me._

_Flashback over_

I sat crumpled up in my cage dreading the next needle that they would give me. I knew that next I would get wings, and then who knows.

"Hi Max," Omega stopped in front of my cage. I knew that I would just be shocked if I tried to fight, so I curled up in the corner, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

"You don't want to make me put a shock collar on you, don't you?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Come here then," Omega sighed. I cautiously inched my way forward until he grabbed me and hauled me out of the cage.

"What do you want?" I whispered, my voice hoarse from not using it.

"It's time for the avian formula. Hans wanted me to inject it, no one else," I started squirming to get away, but he held me fast.

"On no little birdy-girl, it's time for you to become a birdy like me," He tried to calm me down.

My only thoughts were: _Somebody, hurry. Time is running out. _

**You guys are lucky, I updated today, I was reading through the comments that I got and nine already! You people are great. Seriously, I'm not joking. **

**I just felt like typing this up, so you guys get the next chapter two days early. Don't worry, I'll still upload on Tuesday, but this is just extra. **

**I want to get to 100 review by Thursday. We are currently at 84, only 16 reviews left! It would mean so much to me. :)**

**Review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm sorry I didn't update yesterday, I just got really busy. I only need four more reviews to reach 100! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Iggy POV

We've finally tracked down the place where Max was taken by Hans. Turns out it's a secret warehouse in the middle of Death Valley.

"I'll go in the back, Iggy, I need you to get those bombs set up as soon as possible. When you see me leave the building with Max, set it to go off in ten seconds, then run as fast as you can," Fang whispered as We crouched behind a large rock.

"I know, I know," I cut him off from saying anything else, "Then I meet you back at the car and we get the heck out of dodge."

I quietly shifted the armful of homemade bombs in my hands, trying to get more comfortable. I dabble in bomb building, Nudge doesn't really like it, so I try not to do it.

"Ready? Let's go," Ari answered his own question. It was just Fang, Ari, and me, in this mission. Ella and Nudge stayed back to drive the getaway car.

I quickly set up the bomb while Fang and Ari went in to get Max. as soon as I finished, they came out with an unconscious Max.

"Are we good to go Iggy?" Fang shouted to me.

"Yeah, get Max outta here!" I hollered back.

"Go Ari!" Fang started running. I set the timer on the bomb and turned and ran. I just started running when I felt the shock wave hit my back. I didn't realize just how powerful I had created the bomb to be.

Ari POV

Fang and I were almost at the getaway car when Iggy's bomb went off. That was one powerful sucker. We all stopped and looked to the building to see the entire thing surrounded in flames. I couldn't see Iggy anywhere.

"NO!" I faintly heard Nudge scream.

"Let's get going!" Fang got us all moving.

"I'll put Max in the backseat," I offered and Fang hopped in followed by me and Max. Ella started driving while Fang and I tried to calm a devastated Nudge.

"He's gone, and there's nothing we can do about it," Nudge sobbed into my shirt.

"Ella, pull over," I requested.

"Alright," She pulled over and I hopped out with Nudge.

"We'll wait here for Iggy to see if he's coming, you guys go on to the next town. We'll meet you there," I felt like crying, I'm sure everyone except for Max felt so too.

"Okay," Ella pulled away.

"Calm down Nudge, everything will be alright," I murmured in her ear.

"He's gone, nothing will be alright!" Nudge screamed.

Fang POV

I knew as much as Ari did that there was no way that Iggy could have survived the blast without critical injuries. Max chose now to wake up.

"Iggy and us blew up the building in order to get you out, but the blast might have killed Iggy," I choked out. Max looked down. She reached for a pen and one of the papers that were strewn around the back of the car. _I'm sorry, where's Nudge? _was all she could write before her tears soaked through the paper.

"She and Ari are back somewhere on the road, waiting for Iggy. But I don't think he's coming back," I had to tell her the truth, but that only made her cry harder. I pulled her into my body, "Shh."

_I'm so sorry. I screw everything up._ Max pulled away from me to write.

"You don't, you're beautiful. Max listen to me," I tried to get her to come to me. Max just shied away into a corner.

I sighed. How do we start to rebuild this broken 'family'?

**I almost started crying when I was writing. Today I'm feeling very killy. Like I want to kill a character off in everything that I write today. I know someone reviewed about how I keep ending with cliffhangers, I tried to make this chapter longer and not to end with a cliffhanger. I could've ended with Iggy's POV, but I chose not to. Keep Reviewing though!**


	23. Chapter 23

**This might be a boring chapter, but there will be major plot twists coming up!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride**

Nudge POV

Ari and I sat there on the side of the road in silence. I thought about how if Max never turned herself in, Iggy wouldn't be dead. It's all Max's fault! Our lives were pretty much perfect until she came waltzing in and ruined everything.

"Are you okay?" Ari whispered to me.

"Not really," I chocked out through my tears that were no longer from sadness, but from anger at Max.

"Iggy was a great guy and-" He started but I cut him off.

"Iggy's still alive! I know it!" Even to me it sounded like I was trying to convince myself of it.

"Nudge-" Ari tried again.

"Stop it! I don't want to talk about it!" I shouted at him and started down the road to the next town to meet up with Ella, Fang and. . . _her_. Ari fell in line with me and we arrived at the hotel they had gotten rooms in in silence.

"Nudge, I'm-"_ She_ started.

"Save it, I don't want to see you again," I snapped at _her_.

"Nudge please calm down," Ella pleaded with me.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted and then ran to my room. I collapsed in sobs, trying to figure out why life had to do this to me. Some one disturbed my thoughts by knocking on my door.

"Nudge, can I come in?" Fang quietly asked.

"Go away!" I screamed as fresh tears rained down my face.

"Please Nudge," Fang sounded as if he was in tears.

"Fang, Max. . ." Ari rushed up to him outside of my door.

"What?" Fang hurriedly asked.

"She threw herself off the roof of the hotel," It was a three story drop, Max couldn't fly. She had tried to commit suicide. She deserved it.

**I almost cried while I was writing this chapter. I'm sorry I made Nudge sound like a b*tch, but it was important to the plot line (I've actually come up with one!)**

**Some one asked why I killed off Iggy. I felt that it would be too cliche if no one died while they were trying to get Max back, and Iggy was the perfect person that if he was killed, could destroy the entire group. Sorry, I have nothing against Iggy, but it was important to the plot.**

**Shout out to feather flyer for being the 100th reviewer! I have 101 reviews as of now!**

**Review so I know how I'm doing!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I know that many of you are mad that I killed off Iggy. I really like Iggy personally, but I needed someone to die so that the characters could become closer together. Sorry. :( **

**Any yes, Iggy really is dead. I am updating a day late (if anyone is keeping track :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride.**

Fang POV

-several weeks later-

Nudge still refuses to talk to Max or I and Max has become mute once again. It's really frustrating.

"Hi Fang," Ella sat down next to Max. We were at lunch.

"Hi Ella," I tried to smile, but I failed.

"I know you are going through a tough time, but just hang in there. I keep telling Nudge that, but I think that she's debating about suicide," As soon as the words left Ella's mouth, Max stood up and walked over to where Ari and Nudge sat. (Ari and Ella swap places ever other day, don't worry)

I saw Max's mouth move. The first time she talks in weeks is to the person that's mad at her? Okay. I didn't catch what Nudge shot back at her, but it sounded harsh. Suddenly Nudge burst into tears and Ari walked over to us since Max sat down and comforted Nudge.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Max said that she's sorry and Nudge responded with, 'I bet you are' really snottily. Then she just burst into tears and Max comforted her and I felt that I was intruding and. . . yeah," He finished awkwardly.

"That's weird, Nudge didn't cry once after the first day. . ." Ella trailed off.

"I know, but let's let them make up, they would probably heal better together. They've been through similar situations, well, kind of," I stated. My heart swelled at the idea that Max and Nudge would make up. Their fight had torn us apart. Iggy. . . leaving. . . tore us apart.

Max POV

"I'm sorry Max, I just needed someone to blame Iggy's death on, and you were the reason Iggy was there, I'm sorry," Nudge burst out in hysterics.

"Shhh, I understand. I used to blame God for my parents' death. I would stand out in the rain and just curse him in my head. I still blame him. He put them here on this earth just to take them away from me," I was crying silently at this point in my monologue.

"I'm just tired of never having the peace last. First it was Iggy, then our group. I just blamed it all on you because you were easiest," She sobbed into my shoulder.

"Because I never fought back? God never talked to me and it felt that he had abandoned me in the ditch I was in. Calm down Nudge, I'm here," I tried to not make a scene, "Do you want to go outside?"

Nudge just nodded.

"Come on," I lead her outside, and we just barely made it to a bench before Nudge broke down again.

"Shh, do you remember all the fun times we had together with Iggy? I remember when he first talked about you. His whole face light up with a glow. He would be so proud of you fight now," Tears were slowly pouring down my cheeks.

"I remember before you came, Iggy launched a surprise water balloon fight on Fang and I. We got soaking until Fang got the hose and drenched Iggy with it," Nudge let out a strangled laugh through her tears.

"That right, we should remember all of the fun times we had when Iggy was alive," and Nudge and I skipped the rest of the day, just talking and laughing and remembering Iggy's life.

By the time we finished, I felt like I had known Iggy all my life and he had such a similar backstory that he could have been my brother.

"Thanks Max, this was good," Nudge had stopped crying a while ago, but her cheeks were still red. She started walking down the sidewalk to home while I walked a little behind her. I saw her look up at the sky suddenly and I barely heard her whisper "_I'll never forget you_."

**I almost started crying when I wrote that. You see that Iggy's death was important to move the plot along. I won't make it cliché and have him come back from the dead either. I hope you enjoyed it. I don't know how many more chapters I'll write. Maybe three or four more. Review if you have any ideas and maybe I'll make this Fanfic longer.**

**Review**


	25. Epilouge

Max POV

It was good being able to see again. But Iwas stuck on trying to get past how Iggy's death is all my fault. If I had never went to Han's house, he wouldn't of had to save me and then Iggy wouldn't have died.

At least Nudge was better. She kept trying to convince me how Iggy's death wasn't all my fault, and she's been moving on from Iggy. Nudge believed that that's what Iggy would want.

Fang and I had been closer than ever. If Fang or Nudge left me or started hating me, I don't think I would be able to handle it.

I was standing outside in the middle of the empty street, a rainstorm sweeping through the town, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything other than letting go.

I took off my soaked sweatshirt, letting all of the raindrops hit my skin. I looked down at the scars that seemed to be washing away. I looked up at the sky.

_Angel,_

_Gazzy,_

_Iggy,_

_Mom,_

_Dad,_

_Brother._

I thought.

_I'm going to start to live my life. I'm going to seize the day, since you all showed me just how short life really is. I'm going to start to live my life for you guys. I'll never forget you, but I know that I need to move on with my life, like Nudge did. I'm going to be there for the people who are here with me. I'll never again let the darkness in. _

**It's the last chapter of Darkness. If any of you didn't get what Max was talking about when she said ****_darkness,_**** she was talking about depression and going mute and being mopey and everything. She was talking about living her life for the first time. **

**I know a lot of you have been waiting for this for a while, but I was trying to decide what to put in here. I felt like I was letting the characters go. It was extremely bitter-sweet. Thanks everyone for following and favoriting this story. I had a lot of fun writing it. I'll probably be writing another one soon on Fanfiction.**

**This is the end of the _Darkness._**


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